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[Swordstar]

"But... I don't want to leave anyone in our group. You... you guys are my family."

[CrimsonEon]

Alec shook his head.
: "It's fine, it's just a thought I had once or twice. Not something I'm considering now."
The bard cracked an eye open again.
: "I promise I won't just run off on you guys, alright? I might sneak off and do stuff or pull some strings around, but I'm not going to disappear on you."
: "It's selfish, but, I miss when things were simple." Alec sighed, "The skeleton key to all our problems here might have just appeared in our hands, but that doesn't mean we're anywhere near the clear. I may have joined the rebellion to get that ass of an Emperor off the throne, but I'm not sticking that kid on it unless I know he has a head on his shoulders... and he hasn't inspired confidence before."

[Swordstar]

Ciera hesitated once again and the gently wrapped her arms around Alec and hugged him.

"It'll be ok. He has all of us here to help make sure that he gets on the right path. I know you won't let him go astray and neither will anyone else. We'll make sure that we're making the best possible future for our world, ok?"

[CrimsonEon]

Alec half-chuckled and cracked open an eye at Ciera.
: "You really like hugs, don't you?"
Alec reached over and ruffled Ciera's hair again.
: "Enough of that issue. Classy mask will get out when he gets out." Alec properly sat on the ground, legs crossed, "About what I was going to ask earlier... You-... er, well. Both of us said some things back during that battle after we met Sepin..." He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Ciera, what happened between you and your parents?"

[Swordstar]

Ciera froze, her arms slowly dropping from around the bard and she turned away, staring at the ground. She stayed silent for a few moments before slowly starting to talk.

"I... Both of my parents were members of the Cult. My father was a strong healer and my mother was a light magic user, as well as strong in herb lore. When I was born, they were excited. A child, sure to grow up and become a strong member of the Cult, maybe even become a leader some day. As so they raised me well, spoiling me even. Until my 8th birthday. When I still had shown no signs of magical abilities. I had crushed their dreams. So they gave me away. They took me to the Duke's castle, gave me to the castle guard and told me that since I had loved fake fighting with the neighbors so much that I could spend the rest of my life fighting. And then they left. I wasn't able to go back to my village at first. Too far and I was still a trainee. When I finally did manage to visit... To show them how much I'd grown... improved... The villagers said they'd left years ago. Maybe a year after they'd left me. Apparently my younger brother was showing great promise as a healer. So they took him to a city where he could become a great priest. They didn't have any reason to stay in that village after all. They... they didn't have a daughter anymore."

[SeriousConcentrate]

Once she felt that the two were a sufficient distance from the group (far enough that she didn't figure the others would hear shouting- Though she did not account for the echo enhancing effects of caves), she stopped and turned to face Leo. "Leo... When that door slammed shut behind you, I just..." Sheila sighed, trying to put into words how she felt. It wasn't easy. "I was worried you were trapped inside and that you were going to die. And really, you got lucky that nothing happened in there. You're being too reckless. I want you to be more careful."

Leo sighed and shrugged.

"What do you expect me to say to that? Screwing things up seems to be my stock and trade. You should know that better than anyone considering how many times I've hurt you without meaning to. Hell, I even managed to offend Grifen one time, and we all know how easygoing she is."

"Look, I admit I miscalculated. I did what I thought would keep everyone alive at the time. Clearly I was wrong. And now that we have an heir, someone to rally around, I'm going to step down as leader - assuming I was ever the leader to begin with. Julius needs to learn how to lead, and he can start with this group."

[Blade Master Model 42]

Sheila ran a hand across her forehead, mussing her bangs. "Dammit Leo, this isn't about that. I want you to stop rushing to the front every time there's a fight. I know you're tough, I get that. But you're defenseless out there by yourself and none of our enemies could give less of a fuck. Hell, your staff makes you more of a target."

"Just, please, try to see where I'm coming from. It it wasn't for Ciera or Grifen earlier, you would be dead. I don't think I could handle that."

[CrimsonEon]

: "Ciera..." Alec wrapped his arm around Ciera's back to her shoulder, "I'm sorry you had to go through that... Makes my kid problems look tiny."
: "... They didn't deserve you, you know that? If they're so concerned about their 'perfect' kid for the cult, and didn't care for the gentle soul they brought in? Their. Loss. Hell, you've even befriended a pegasus, of all creatures. Y'know how hard it is to even approach one? Try getting kicked in the teeth if you bear even the slightest sign of malice."

[SeriousConcentrate]

"I do understand. I care about you, too, and I don't want to see anything happen to you... and that's why I have to be at the front. I can take that amount of punishment. It's better our enemies target me than one of our more fragile teammates like Alec, Candy, or Ciera..."

He took Sheila's hands.

"...Or you. I would rather take all that punishment than see you get hurt even once."

"This is all I'm good at, you know. I'm never going to be a trained fighter like you or the others. All I can do is try to keep everyone else standing, whether by my magic... or just taking the blow myself. And I refuse to be useless. I would rather be dead. I have my pride as a man."

Leo straightened up slightly.

"...If you don't like it, feel free to punch me. I can take it. But I'm not going to sit back and let anyone hurt you or the rest of my friends, even if I can heal you later. I can't do that."

[Swordstar]

Ciera gave a half shrug to Alec's response.

"It... It was a long time ago. They cared more about their prestige in the church then they did about their children. I was probably lucky to get out. My brother is still stuck with them. They'd never let go of someone who could help them advance in the Cult. As for Mazin... I guess you could say he rescued me as much as I rescued him. It was lonely growing up in the castle. I lived among the guards... Had a few friends but they were all older. Viewed me as more of a daughter than a friend. Which isn't bad but... I was out in the woods and he was just a baby and injured. So I took him in. I don't know what happened to his parents, but there was blood around so... I could make a decent guess. Still... He was my friend after that. My family... Until... Until I met all of you."

[CrimsonEon]

Alec sighed and looked onward.
: "...I don't envy your brother... You could almost say I was in a similar situation, if you were to stretch it. Back when I was a kid, my parents wanted me to be ready to take up the trading mantle, be the sharp, cunning businessman that my Father and Mother were and continue the legacy. I was the only one who could do it, my sister's too sick, my brother's too timid... They didn't abandon my siblings but... their hopes were all riding on me."
: "Ciera, if your brother's still out there... Would you want to know the truth? Would you want him to know the truth?"

[Blade Master Model 42]

Sheila took Leo's offer. She grabbed his collar with her left hand, and slammed him with a vicious right hook.

"What's more important to you? Your pride or your life? Anything they can do to me, you can fix if you're close enough!" Sheila's grip on Leo's clothes slackened as her shoulders started to shake.

"But if you get hurt, all I can do is hope and pray that one of the others can get to you, and save your life. Because I can't do the sorts of things you can. You can put someone back together even if they should be dead. All I can do is take them apart." Tears were flowing now. "I know you don't want to see me hurt, but I don't want you being hurt either. And that's impossible to avoid, with what we do. But I need you to stop trying to take everything on by yourself! I don't get what you're trying to prove!"

[Swordstar]

"He probably doesn't even remember me. He was 5 when they took me away... I may have more siblings even. I know my mother wanted more. Especially with what a disappointment I was. Knowing the truth... why? All it would do is hurt more. Either he's happy and loving the life he's in, or he's miserable and I never even tried to find him. I'm the oldest. I should have tried to protect him. That's what older siblings do, right? That's what you do for your siblings. So... no. I don't think I do want to know the truth. Better that I imagine him happy. A priest of some small village, healing people. Maybe flirting with a cute village girl... Happy."

[Sirus]

As the hours minutes dragged on, Grifen began to get huffy.

: "When's that darn ghost gonna let them out?" she demanded of no one in particular. "I sure as heck don't wanna spend the night in here."

[Powder Miner]

:"Spending a night in a cave is... sort of the least important thing to be worrying about right now..."